Vehicle wheel suspension



Sept. 3, 1940. w. MlNlcK, .JR

VEHICLE WHEEL SUSPENSION 2 sheets-sheet 1 Filed Aug. 6, 1938 WILLIAM L. MINICK JR.

Sept. 3, 1940. w. L. MINICK, JR

VEHICLE WHEEL SUSPENSION Fild Aug. 6, 1958 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 sev :inventor WILLIAM L. MIN/CK JR- Patented Sept. 3, 1940 hill@ anni AAE Figi@ llyilliam L. Minick,

Application August 6,

Claims.

My invention relates to wheel suspensions for automotive or other vehicles and it is an object of same to provide means whereby the Vertical position of the body of the vehicle will not change as the wheels pass over irregularities in the road surface.

A further object is. to provide a yielding connection between the vehicle frame and the wheel which will oder continuous support to the frame in all positions ci the wheel.

A further object is to provide a mechanism having a minimum number of parts.

My invention consists essentially of an arm, one end of which is pivotally attached to the l5 axle of a vehicle, the other end having a ball and socket connection with a telescopic horizontal link, Said link is secured to a stub shaft in a bracket ached to the trarne. Said bracket includes a housing in noch is mounted a coil spring with its axis in a horizontal position parallel to Le frame or the ve e. A crank arm is secured to said stub shaft and bears against the free end of the coil spring.

irc'ne and the main arm consists of a link, one of which is pivotally attached to the frame at a point directly above the axle, the other end of which is also pivotally connected to said main arm at a point intermediate the ends thereof.

ln the drawings-- Figure l is a plan view of an automobile chassis.

Figure 2 is a side elevation.

Figure 3 is a detail side view of the suspension mechanism.

Figure 4 is a plan view of the suspension mechanism.

Figure 5 is a section on the line 5-5 of Figure 3.

Figure 6 is an optional construction of the ball and socket joint of Figure 3.

Figure 7 is a sectional iront elevation showing the method of connecting my device to the frame of vehicle.

in Figures l and 2 numeral l@ indicates the ir "ne of an automotive vehicle having a front ane il a rear a--- l2. Front wheels l@ and ifi and rear wheels l5 and it are attached to the respective axles in any conventional manner. Since the method of mounting the wheels is not a part of this invention, it is. not thought necessary to illustrate it here. The means for connecting the axles to the frame consists of an arm 2li and a clamping member. Said arm and said clamping member are connected by means of a stud 2l which permits a relative angular move- A direct connection between Jr., Waynesboro, Pa.

1938, Serial No. 223,386

ment between said parts. Said clamping memer consists of a base 22 to which said stud is threaded and a cap 23 secured to said base by screws, not shown. Said clamping member is not in direct Contact with the axles i l and l2, a rubber bushing 2d forming the connection therebetween. The end of said arm opposite the axle is bored to receive a ball joint 25 resting on a resiliently supported socket Said ball is supported horizontally by a xed socket ttl on one side and an adjustable socket 2Q on the opposite side. Said xed socket is pressed into place but may be knocked out for replacement by tapping same with a rod inserted in hole 2li. Said adjustable socket may be locked in position by a lock nut St. Another form or support for said ball 25 is shown in Figure 6 wherein said ball is supported at the bottom and at the front and rear by adjustable resilient sockets "it, 'H and 'lil Said oallis attached to the Vertical portion of an angle arm tl. The horizontal end of said arm is hollow and has spline teeth cut therein. Into said arm is inserted another arm 32 having external splines thereon. The splinesserve to prevent arin 3l from turning on arm 32. Said arm has a vertical portion supported in bushings it and l'l in spring housing Housing 34 is attached to frame l@ in any suitable manner. Said bushings are spaced to permit the entry of arm l5 which is splined to the vertical portion of arm 32 at l5. The lower end of said vertical portion extends beyond housing 3d and is threaded to receive a nut l@ Which may be drawn against a shoulder 'il on said vertical portion. Arms Si, 32 and form a lever connecting arm 2li to spring 30. Said housing contains a coil spring di! held between two end supports all and d2, Arm l5 has a spherical end portion 46 which restsA in a socket il in said spring support 4l. The end support l2 also has a socket 438 in which is inserted the spherical end i9 of adjusting screw Said screw is threaded in a cap 5l on housing 3ft. A lock nut 52 locks said screw 5B in adjusted position. A smaller tapered coil spring 55 is carried at one end by end support t2 and at the other end by a pin 5t inserted in end support di. Said spring 55 does not engage support Il! until spring lill has been compressed a predetermined amount. A stud Bil having an enlarged head @i bolted to frame lil at a point directly above the aide has a link 62 rotatably mounted thereon, The other end of said link is bifurcated to straddle arm 2t at a point approximately midway between the axle and the ball joint and is pivotally attached thereto by a stub shaft 63. 55

Said link is secured to said shaft 63 by set screws 64. 'Ihe axles Il and I2 are supported horizontally by radius rods 65. One end of each of said rods is secured rigidly to the axle, the other end being attached to the frame by any suitable universal or ball joint,

Operation When a wheel encounters a bump in the road it moves upwardly pivoting both at the ball joint 25 and at the point to which link 62 is attached. Link 62 is thus caused to rotate in a clockwise direction about its bearing on the frame andy thereby causes arm 2E) to move forward in a horizontal direction. This movement is transmitted thru the lever consisting of angle arm 3l, shaft 33 and the curved arm l5 to spring Ml. Variation in the distance between ball 25 and shaft 33- is taken care of by the spline construction of arms 3l and 3?.. If the bump is severe enough tocompress spring El more than the distance between the tapered spring 55 and its seat on support 42, said tapered spring will provide additional resilience to cushion the shock. Thus instead of the frame being lifted, the vertical movement of the wheel is dissipated in a horizontal direction by means of link $2 and this horizontal movement is cushioned by springs di) and 55. If only one wheel is'a'ected by the bump, the change in angular relation between the axle and arm will be compensated for thru stud 2| which permits angular movement of clamp base 22 relative to arm 26.

If a wheel drops into a depression, spring Il@ thru its above described connection with arm 2@ pushes said arm in a horizontal direction which causes link 62 to swing in a counterclockwise direction and convert the horizontal movement into downward vertical movement. Thus, as the wheeldrops, the relation between arm and link changes to compensate for the increased distance between the axle and frame and to support said frame until the wheel and axle return of two members joined together so as to permit relative angular movement therebetween about a horizontal axis. v

2. A Vehicle wheel suspension including a frame, a wheel and axle assembly, connections between said axle and said frame including an arm having one end in the form of a clamp for securing samey to said axle, a rubber bushingV between said clamp and said axle, the other end of said arm being resiliently attached to said frame, a link joining an intermediate point on said arm with said frame, said link being pivotally attached to both said arm and said frame.

3l. In a vehicle, a frame, a wheel and axle assembly, means for supporting said frame on said axle including an arm, one end of which is attached to said axle, a resilient member attached to said frame, and a sliding connection between said arm and said resilient member including a v lever one end of which engages said resilient member the other end of which is attached to said arm said other end being formed in two parts one of which engages the other in telescoping relation.

4. In a vehicle of the kind described, a frame, a wheel and axle assembly, means for supporting said frame on said axle including an arm, one end of which is pivotally attached to said axle, a resilient member attached to said frame, a slidable connection between said arm and said resilient member including a lever having one end in contact with said resilient member the other end being connected to said arm and comprising two telescoping portions, a link having one end connected to said frame at a point substantially directly over said axle, the other end being connected to said arm at a point substantially midway between the ends thereof, whereby to convert Vertical movementy of the wheel into horizontal movement at the frame.

5. A Vehicle wheel suspension including a frame, a wheel and axle assembly, means for supporting said frame on said wheel and axle assembly including an arm having one end pivotally attached to said axle, a link joining the mid-point on said arm with said frame, whereby vertical movement of the wheel and axle is converted into horizontal movement at the frame, said link being pivotally attached to said frame, a resilient member on said frame and a lever connecting the other end of said arm to said resilient member.

WILLIAM L. MINICK, JR. 

